Violin-mute.



No. 689475. Patented nec. 24,.|9o|.

' .|.VH. FISCHER.

VIOLIN MUTE.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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HEEICE.

PATENT JOHN HENRI FISCHER, OF BURLINGTON,IOVVA.

VIOLIN-MUTE.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 689,475, dated December 24, 1901.

Application iiled April 1, 1901. Serial No. 53,922. (No model.)

To all whom, it may cancel/Wt:

Beit known that I, JOHN HENRI FISCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Violin-Mates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to violin-mutes.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be simple of construction, durable in use7 comparatively inexpensive of production, and which may be easily and conveniently operated by the chin of the performer, who may lock the damper in contact with and unlock it from the bridge by a slight lateral movement of his head. Y

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a violin, illustrating the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the mute. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view; and Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a portion of the chin-lever, showingit locked in its depressed position .by the catch.

In the drawings, l denotes the belly of the violin, 2 the bridge, and 3 the tailpiece. Secured to the tailpiece is the base-plate 4 of a mute. f This base-plate is provided with marginal guide flanges 5, arranged to form a dovetailed groove 6, Within which is mounted to slide a frame '7, provided with parallel side pieces 8 and a catch 9, havinga laterally-projecting. head 10.

11 -denotes the damper-lever, pivoted at 12 between the side pieces of the frame and provided with a longitudinal adjustable damper 13, the shank 14 of which has a telescopic connection with the t lever 1l and is held in adjusted position by a set-screw l5.

16 denotes a chin-lever pivoted at 17 between the side pieces of the frame and having its extreme inner end loosely connected with the eXtreme inner end of the damper-lever, preferably by pin-and-slot connection, as shown. The spring 18 is arranged to elevate the free end of the chin-lever, and in doing so also elevates the damper from engagement with the strings in engagment on the bridge. When the performer desires to apply the damper with his chin, he presses down upon the shifting lever, which forces the damper down upon' the strings and against the bridge of the violin, and if he desires to allow the damper to remain in that position by a slight lateral movement of his' head he shifts the edge of the chin-lever under the lug 10 of the catch, in which position the damper will be held in engagement with the bridge. A slight movement of the performer in the opposite direction will disengage the chin-lever from the lug 10, and the spring will elevate both the chin-lever and the damper. The parts may be constructed of any suitable material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, the construction, Inode of operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily nnderstood Without requiring a more extended explanation. y

Various changes in the form, proportion, and details of construction may be made Within the scope of the invention Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a violin-mute, the combination with the pivoted chin-lever and the pivoted damper-lever loosely connected together,of means for elevating the outer ends of each lever, and a catch adapted to engage one of said levers when said levers are depressed and lock said levers in depressed position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a plate adapted to be secured to the tailpicce ofthe violin and provided with dovetailed grooves, of a frame slidably mounted in said grooves, a chin-lever pivoted in said frame, adaxnper-lever pivoted in said frame, said levers having their inner ends united by a pin-and-slot connec- In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set tion, :L spring for elevating the free ends of my hand in presence of two subscribing Witsaid levers, a Catch With which one of said lenesses.

Vers is adapted to be engaged whereby both J. HENRI FISCHER. 5 of said levers may be locked in depressed po- Vitnesses:

sition, and a, damper carried by the damper- FRANK XV. GHAMBERLIN,

lever, substantially as set forth. CHAS. J. DUMMERLER. 

